Pakatan seat talks for Johor, N. Sembilan await Anwar’s return from Japan for final approval, says Saifuddin Nasution
KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — The finalisation of Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) seat allocation for the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections will only be concluded after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim returns from his overseas trip, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
The home minister and PH secretary-general said the matter would be brought to the coalition’s presidential council for endorsement, which is expected to be chaired by Anwar upon his return, according to a report by English daily The Star yesterday.
Saifuddin Nasution said the list of allocations would be tabled for confirmation at that meeting before any formal announcement is made.
“After that process, only then will it be official,” he said when asked about the progress of negotiations during the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly.
He added that earlier disputes involving overlapping claims for certain seats in Johor had already been resolved at the secretariat level.
“We managed to settle that during the Johor secretariat meeting,” he said.
Johor and Negeri Sembilan’s state assemblies were dissolved on June 1 and June 5 respectively, paving the way for the upcoming polls.
Saifuddin Nasution also touched on administrative matters, saying existing MyKad stock would continue to be used despite the expiry of a supply contract earlier this month, in a move aimed at avoiding wastage.
He said around 35,000 applications are received monthly for identity cards for Malaysians turning 12, adding that the rollout of new cards would be managed in a cost-efficient manner.
On the proposed 10-year Malaysian passport, Saifuddin said the government would announce the launch date at a later stage.
